Observation (CEACR) - adoptée 2012, publiée 102ème session CIT (2013)

Convention (n° 42) (révisée) des maladies professionnelles, 1934 - Guyana (Ratification: 1966)

In reply to the issues raised in the Committee’s previous observation, the Government indicates that there has been no change in the national legislation on occupational diseases and the necessary measures to ensure compliance with the Convention have yet to be taken. In previous reports, the Government had indicated that the competent authorities have been requested to accelerate the review procedure. The Committee therefore trusts that the Government will take the necessary measures to amend the list of occupational diseases currently established by Regulation No. 34 of 1969, implementing Act No. 15 of 1969 on national insurance and social security (Cap. 36:01), with respect to the following points:

• -No. 1(x), (xi), (xii) and (xiv) on the list are to be replaced by a heading containing in general terms all halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons of the aliphatic series;
• -No. 7, which refers to certain disorders due to radiation, should include all pathological manifestations due to radium and other radioactive substances or X-rays and the list of processes likely to induce these should be completed;
• -No. 1(i) and (v), relating to poisoning by lead and its compounds and mercury and its compounds, should include lead alloys and mercury amalgams respectively;
• -No. 1(iii), which refers to poisoning by phosphorus and its compounds, should include the inorganic compounds of phosphorus;
• -No. 2 should include, among the processes likely to induce anthrax infection, all loading and unloading or transport of merchandise of any kind;
• -silicosis with or without pulmonary tuberculosis and the industries or processes involving the risk of this infection should also be added to the list.

The Committee wishes to remind the Government that the abovementioned issues have been regularly brought to its attention since 1972.